Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-01-30
MARTINS FERRY.

occurred in our city in a year past was the
citizens meeting held in the City Hall on
Friday night, which was attended by more
taxpayers and respectable citizens than any
meeting of such a nature ever held in the
city. All along, public meetings of every
kind have been q disgusting drag no mat,
ter what the question at issue, but the
presence of Albert Meter. of Cincinnati,
and an opportunity to refute and place al
naught the vile insinuations against Oul
municipal integrity called forth what
might be termed a rousing meeting, con
sidering the very disagreeable weather and
short timei it was advertised. Considerable
has been said in the papers and among the
people concerning certain letters, who's
nature was very derogatory to our city:
credit, which were written by MeSsrs
Boyd and Cots Of this city to Mr.. Meter
who purchased the whole block for 500,
600 water works bonds issued by our city
some time ago. The whole affair wa
pretty we'll aired on Tuesday night, anC
those who were present, know beyond &
doubt Just what has been done, and have
a very good idea who did it.
The meeting was called to order by ]. C.
Gray, and l.. Spence chosen Chairman
and j. ". Phoebus Secretary. Mr.. Nettel
was invited to come to the Chairman'S
desk and wa requested to say what ht
knew about the transaction. He began by
stating what trouble and anxiety had
been caused him at a previous time by Al
attempt on the part OF the city to repudi
ate their bonds and expressed anxiety
concerning the Martins Ferry bonds l
| the letters he had received were an expires
sion of the feeling of the people of the city,
He then proceeded to read the letters ht
had received from Martins Ferry during
the past few months, copies of which art
here inserted. The first letter Is from >
| W. Boyd, and reads as follows:
MARTINS FERRY, Oct. p, 1856.
DR.. Albert Meter:
DEAR SIR am one Of n committee tC
audit the books of the city of Martins
Ferry. / see by the minutes OF the COnn'
ell that you proposed to buy the SlOO,o u'
of water works bonds issued and sold ny
Martins Ferry. / see your proposition
was rejected. The time of your PROPOSE
ton don't appear Oh the minutes OF COun,
Gil. Will you please state what you offered
at that time for the water works bOndSanC
what you bought them for afterward'
This should all appear on our books, bu'
for some reason it don't. We want simply
to get at the truth of the matter, and rectl'
fy any mistakes that have been made,
You will greatly Oblige me by giving tina
information, Yours, very truly,
S. w. BOYD.
p. S.-The rejection Of your proposition
was Oct. II, 1885.
This letter Mr.. Meter did not answer
and shortly thereafter received the follow
ing letter:
MARTINS FERRY, O., Nov. %, 1856.
albert Meter, Esq:
DEAR SIR:-Some time ago | wrote t.
you inquiring concerning the Martin
| Ferry water works bonds. keane u Co:
of Chicago, referred me to you for intOrma
ton in the matter. They tell me they
got the bonds from you. Members OF the
old Council told Inc that you offered o.
for the bonds. For some reason that Il
perhaps best known to the parties wht
negotiated the sale OF the bonds all intOr
nation on the subject has been CAREFUL,
suppressed. Great dissatisfaction exists
and there is Il movement on foot to rcpu
date the whole transaction as contrary t
law. | was appointed by the Council t.
investigate the matter. Joseph L. llanes
who negotiated the bonds, had III
authority to do so. 1t is alb
solutely necessary that the present
city Council should know the terms OF
which the bonds were sold and what wa
realized from them. Will you kindly give
me such informatiOna as you can on this mat
ter? Please tell me what your offer To the
Council first WIS and at what price anc
from whom you got the aforesaid bonds
and on what terms Us to payment. vii
you further kindly inform me what is the
sum total Of the bonds you bought, and /
in your power please send me Il copy OF the
contract? Yours very truly,
=. w. BoYD.
DEAR SIE-I certify that 10y a rcSolu.
ton OF Council Of Martins Ferry, o., 5
w. Boyd, Esq, was appointed an auditing
committee to audit all books and paper,
ofthc city and was vested with full power
to send for persons and papers.
Very truly,
ISAAC CnTTS,
President Council.
Mr.. Netter answered this letter and
asked Mr.. Boyd to come to Cincinnati and
receive an explanation OF all the matters
pertaining to the bond. In answer to this
he received the following:
MARTINS FERRY, o.,
December II, lSS6.
.iLJcrt NcIer, Esq,
DEAR SIR: Owing to my business here
| cannot meet you next week in Cincin'
natl. Would you kindly inform me what
price you paid for the Martins Ferry water
works bonds. The sale Ofthe bonds appears
to have been made by J. T. Hanes, who was
a member Of tho City COUNCIL in April,
when the bonds were sold. In May
Il new Council came in and
| Hanes, ceased to have anything to dc
with the city government. THERE'S II dit
ference in the statements of the old coun'
cilmen, ~ to what the council authorized
in the matter OF the sale Of the bonds. Mr.,
HaneS has carefully avoided giving any
definite information on the subject. 1t i
among the possibilities that the payment
of the bonds will be successfully repudl,
ated. Did you satisfy yourself of the legal
status of the bonds before you bought
them? Very truly yours,
S. W. BOYD.
This ends the letter writing on Mr..
Bovd'S part, and it Is here taken up by
Mr.. Colts himself. The following letter is
marked private, but as Mr.. Meter says
private letters should not he written
about public business. and accordingly he
read it before the meeting, and expressed
regret that the author was not present Ia
hear it.
Private
MARTINS FFRRY, ONO,
December 2l, 1856.
4. Netter, Esq, Cincinnati, Ohio:
DEAR SIR; ! am in receipt of yours OF
the 18th asking for information in regard
to water works bonds, Of which it appears
you arc the purchaser. The books and
papers of the corporation do not show that
there was any sale of bonds or any contract
entered into for their purchase. Neither
do they show that any pc yer of the Coun-
ell was delegated, constituting any person